In current and future radio access networks, a lot of optimization may be performed while the network is in an active state.
There have also been discussions of some of these optimization topics. These topics are discussed in the general framework of 3GPP standardization collected as SON (self-optimizing networks).
In current standards, there are reference signals and measurements for cell identification and neighbor cell measurements. Most of these measurement cases utilize reference signals that are bound—by technology and standard—and for interference issues to certain power conditions.
There have been approaches for overcoming the above limitations chiefly directed to averaging and coherent detection, which can lead to long range cell detection. For example, there has been conceived the usage of so-called ‘beacon’ and/or ‘single carrier’ and/or ‘bang’ signal and use cases, or the usage of so-called ‘double-carrier’ signal.
In consideration of the above, it is an object of the present invention to overcome one or more of the above drawbacks. In particular, the present invention provides methods, apparatuses, a system and a related computer program product for reference signaling.
According to the present invention, in a first aspect, this object is for example achieved by a method comprising:
creating inquiry information related to an evaluation of at least one network terminal; and
transmitting the created inquiry information in a long-range reference signal.
According to further refinements of the invention as defined under the above first aspect,
the method further comprises receiving, prior to the creating, a configuration signal indicating usage of the long-range reference signal.
According to the present invention, in a second aspect, this object is for example achieved by a method comprising:
receiving inquiry information related to an evaluation of at least one network terminal in a long-range signal;
establishing, based on the received inquiry information, report information related to a quality of the long-range reference signal; and
transmitting the established report information.
According to the present invention, in a third aspect, this object is for example achieved by a method comprising:
receiving, report information related to a quality of a long-range reference signal; and
evaluating, based on the received report information, at least one network terminal.
According to further refinements of the invention as defined under the above third aspect,
the method further comprises generating, prior to the receiving, a configuration signal indicating usage of the long-range reference signal, and transmitting, prior to the receiving, the generated configuration signal.
According to further refinements of the invention as defined under the above first to third aspects,
the configuration signal comprises one of separate orthogonal parts of a resource block for the network terminal and a temporal sequence cycling through a plurality of the network terminals;
the inquiry information comprises at least one of the following: identity information of a management entity having created the inquiry information, selection information for selecting at least one of the at least one network terminal to transmit the report information; and resource information related to a resource by means of which the at least one network terminal is to transmit the report information;
the inquiry information further comprises an extension for selecting network terminals being in an idle state;
the report information further comprises location information of the at least one network terminal;
the method further comprises obtaining the location information using one of signal timing advance, neighbor measurements, relative received signal quality and global positioning system information.
According to the present invention, in a fourth aspect, this object is for example achieved by an apparatus comprising:
means for creating inquiry information related to an evaluation of at least one network terminal; and
means for transmitting the inquiry information created by the means for creating in a long-range reference signal.
According to further refinements of the invention as defined under the above fourth aspect,
the apparatus further comprises means for receiving a configuration signal indicating usage of the long-range reference signal.
According to the present invention, in a fifth aspect, this object is for example achieved by an apparatus comprising:
means for receiving inquiry information related to an evaluation of at least one network terminal in a long-range signal;
means for establishing, based on the inquiry information received by the means for receiving, report information related to a quality of the long-range reference signal; and
means for transmitting the report information established by the means for establishing.
According to the present invention, in a sixth aspect, this object is for example achieved by an apparatus comprising:
means for receiving report information related to a quality of a long-range reference signal; and
means for evaluating, based on the report information received by the means for receiving, at least one network terminal.
According to further refinements of the invention as defined under the above sixth aspect,
the apparatus further comprises means for generating a configuration signal indicating usage of the long-range reference signal, wherein the means for transmitting is further configured to transmit the configuration signal generated by the means for generating.
According to further refinements of the invention as defined under the above fourth to sixth aspects,
the configuration signal comprises one of separate orthogonal parts of a resource block for the network terminal and a temporal sequence cycling through a plurality of the network terminals;
the inquiry information comprises at least one of the following: identity information of a management entity having created the inquiry information, selection information for selecting at least one of the at least one network terminal to transmit the report information, and resource information related to a resource by means of which the at least one network terminal is to transmit the report information;
the inquiry information further comprises an extension for selecting network terminals being in an idle state;
the report information further comprises location information of the at least one network terminal;
the apparatus further comprises means for obtaining the location information using one of signal timing advance, neighbor measurements, relative received signal quality and global positioning system information;
at least one, or more of means for transmitting, means for receiving, means for creating, means for establishing, means for evaluating, means for generating, means for obtaining and the apparatus is implemented as a chipset or module.
According to further refinements of the invention as defined under the above fourth aspect,
the apparatus is constituted by a node B associated with a center cell of a plurality of cells.
According to further refinements of the invention as defined under the above fifth aspect,
the apparatus is constituted by one of a user equipment and a terminal.
According to further refinements of the invention as defined under the above sixth aspect,
the apparatus is constituted by at least one of a node B associated with at least one cell neighboring a center cell and a management entity.
According to the present invention, in a seventh aspect, this object is for example achieved by a system comprising:
at least one apparatus according to the fourth aspect;
at least one apparatus according to the fifth aspect; and
an apparatus according to the sixth aspect.
According to the present invention, in an eighth aspect, this object is for example achieved by a computer program product comprising code means for performing methods steps of a method according to any one of the first to third aspects, when run on a processing means.
In this connection, it has to be pointed out that the present invention enables one or more of the following:
enabling a running system to obtain information about other cells, especially non-adjacent ones;
providing reference signals strong enough for measuring over long-range, further than the adjacent cell.